Donations made by Bama Beach Pickleball Club

BAMA BEACH PICKLEBALL – HELPING THE ANIMALS

Each year, Bama Beach Pickleball Club donates it profits to various Baldwin

County charities. Based on a great year in 2023, Bama Beach is donating $9000

to help the animals of Baldwin County.

Willow Farms in Loxley, a 501C3 horse rescue and rehabilitation foundation

will receive $2000. Janet Hein is the head of the foundation and has been running

the rescue operation since 2008. Since the beginning, she has rescued 621 horses

and the objective is to rescue,rehabilitate and rehome them to a loving

environment. Janet’s operation has grown so large that she now relies on

volunteers to help (2 Bama Beach pickleballers volunteer).

Stray Love Foundation, a 501C3 located in Magnolia Springs , will receive

$1000. Stray Love adopts and rehomes dogs and cats, particularly kittens. They,

too, are very busy, with over 200 animals rehabilitated in 2023. Volunteers and

donations are needed as the Foundation has grown in size and coverage.

Share the Beach, a well known 501C3 which specializes in protecting

nesting sea turtles along the Gulf Coast of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, will

receive $3000. At least 9 pickleballers are active volunteers and they, along with

many others, mark the nests and monitor them, waiting for the eggs to hatch.

Every morning at 5am, rain or shine, the volunteers watch the nests for signs of

life and when the ‘boil’ starts, they go to work, helping the baby turtles make their

way into the Gulf.

Southern Star Search and Rescue, a newly formed 501C3 in Foley, which

works with law enforcement to save another animal – humans. Not only do they

actively search for the missing, but they spend as much time educating children

and the public about the need for safety. They ran three programs at Blakeley

State Park in 2023 called “Lost in the Woods.” They also work closely with the

Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office on its “Shining Star Program” for elementary

students. As an all-volunteer group, they do not charge for their services and are

available 24/7. Two pickleballers volunteer with them.

All four of these organizations are local and very deserving of the donations

from Bama Beach Pickleball Club! They are all looking for volunteers to help with

their programs and donations are always great to receive. All can be found on

Facebook or by searching the internet for them. We encourage everyone to learn

more about each, to donate to them and to volunteer your time, if possible, to

help with their missions.